The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-31

not burn the title on the frame. The dullest
will catch the design at a glance, and say:
THAT is the road to heaven" All, me! On
this sea of life what innumerable ships
heavily laden and well-rigged, yet some
bound for another port. Swept every
whittier of wind and wave, they go up by
the mountains, they go down by the bill
lows, and are at their wits end. They sail
by no chart, they watch no star, they long
for no harbor. beg every young man to-
day to draw out sketch of what. by the
grace of God, he means to be, though in ex-
cellence so high that you cannot reach it.
He who starts out in life with a high ideal
of character, and faith in its attainment,
will find himself encased from a thousand
temptations.
There are magnificent possibilities before
each of you young men of the stout heart,
and the buoyant step, and the bounding
spirit. | would marshal you for grand
achievement. God now provides for you
the fleet, and the armor, and the fortitica-
tions; who is on the Lords side' The Cap
tain of the zouaves in ancient times. to en-
courage them against the immense odds on
the side of their enemies, said Come, my
men, look these fellows in the face. They
are six thousand, you are three hundred.
Surely the match is even" That speech
gave them the victory. Be not, my hearer,
dismayed at any time by what seems an i'm
mense odds against you Is fortune, is
want of education, are men, are devils
against you, though the multitudes of
earth and hell confront you, stand up to the
charge. With a million against you, the
match is just even Nay, you have de-
cided advantage If God be for us, who
can be against us3 Thus protected, you
need not spend much time in answering
your assailants.
Many years ago word came to me that
two impostors, as temperance lecturers, had
been speaking in Ohio in various places,
and giving their experience, and they told
their audience that they had long been in
innate with me, and had become drunkards
by dining at my table, where | always had
liquors of all sorts. Indignant to the last
degree, went down to Patrick Campbell
Chief of Brooklyn police, saying | was go
ing to start that night for Ohio to have
these villains arrested, and wanted him to
tell me how to make the arrest. He smiled
and said "Do not waste your time by
chasing these men. Go home and do your
work, and they can do you no harm" l
took his counsel and all was well. Long
ago | made up my mind that If one will put
his trust in God and he faithful to duty, he
need not fear any evil. Have God on your
side, young man, and all the combined
forces of earth and bell can do you no dam
age.
And this leads me to say that the mightiest
Of all defense for young man is the pos
session of thorough religious principle.
Nothing can take the place of it, He may
have manners that would put to shame the
gracefulness and courtesy of Lord Ches-
tertield. Foreign languages may drop from
his tongue. He may be able to discuss
literatures, and laws, and foreign customs.
He may WELD pen of unequalled polish
and power His quiclness and tact may
qualify him for the highest salary of the
counting house. He may be as sharp as
Herod and as strong as Samson, with as fine
locks as those which hung Absalon, still he
is not safe from contamination. The more
elegant his manner, and the more fascina-
ting his dress, the more peril. Satan
does not care much for the allegiance of "A
coward and illiterate being. He can bring
him into efficient service. But he loves to
storm that castle Of character which has in
it the most spols and treasures. 1t was not
some crazy craft creeping along the coast,
with a valueleSS cargo, that the pirate at
tackled, but the ship, full winged and
tagged, plying between great ports, carry
ing its million OF specie. The more your
natural and acquired accomplishments. 1.-The
more need of the religion of Jesus. That
does not cut in upon or hack up any smooth
ness of disposition or behavior. 1T gives
ought to be arrested, and propels that which
ought to be propelled. 1t fills up the gull
leys. 1t elevates and transforms. To beau
ty is given more beauty, to tact more tact,
to enthusiasm of nature more enthusiasm.
When the Holy Spirit impresses the image
of God on the heart He does not spoil the
canvas. If in all the multitudes of
young men upon whom religion has acted
YOU could find one nature that had been the
| xxynnld uialI thiG T1OrOgi-
tion. You may now have enough strength
of character to repel the various tempta-
tions to gross wickedness which assail you,
but | do not know in what strait you may
be thrust at some future time Nothing
short of the grace of the cross may then he
able to deliver you from the lions You are
not meeker than Moses, nor boiler than Da-
vid, nor more patient than job. and You
ought rot to consider yourself invulnerable
You may have some weak point of charac-
ter that you have never discovered and fn
some hour when you are assaulted the Phil
istines will be upon thee, Samson. Trust
not in your good habits, or your early train
ing, or your pride of character; moth
ing short of the arm of almigh-
ty God will be sufficient TO
uphold you. You looked forward to the
world sometimes with chilling despond-
ency. Cheer up | will tell you how you
kingdom Of God and his righteousn IS, and
all other things will be added unto you" I
know you do not want to be mean in this
matter Give God the freshness of your
life. You will not have the heart TO drink
down the brimming cup Of life, and then
pour the dregs on Gods altar. To a Saviour
so infinitely generous you have not the heart
to act like that. That is not brave, that is
not honorable, that is not manly Your
greatest want in all the world is a new
heart. In Gods name tell you that. And
the Blessed Spirit presses through the
solemnities and privileges Of this holy hour
Put the cup of life eternal to your thirsty
lips. Thrust it not back. Mercy offers it,
bleeding mercy, long suffering mercy. Re-
iect all other friendships, be ungrateful for
all other kindness, prove recreant to all
other bargains, but despise Gods love for
your immortal soul-don't you do that.
/ would like to see some of you this hour
press out of the ranks of the world and lay
your conquered spirit at the feet OF Jesus
This hour is no wandering vagabond
staggering over the earth, it is a winged
messenger of the skies whispering mercy to
thy soul Life is smooth now, but after a
while it may be rough, wild and precipitate.
There comes a crisis in the history Of every
man. We seldom understand that turning
point until it is far past. The road of life
is forked and ! read on two sign boards:
''This is the way to happiness" This is the
way TO ruin" How apt we are to pass the
forks of the road without thinking whether
it comes out at the door of bliss or the gates